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Hearty Grain Soup With Beans and Greens

18 Sep


This is my all-time favorite soup to make. It takes very little time and is so healthy and wholesome. It is a great winter soup that will warm your heart on a chilly day. Even in 80 degree weather, this soup proves to be a winner with its mixture of color and fresh flavor combination!

You can use any grain that you have on-hand: barley, brown rice, quinoa, kasha…Same goes for the beans–I prefer kidney beans but you can use a mixture of kidney, black, garbanzo, white beans…

I have made this soup at least 6-10 times and it never disappoints. One time, I accidentally used 3 times the amount of rice and rather than cry/freak out/kick and scream (which I did a bit of at first), I transformed the soup into risotto! Brilliant, just brilliant! Continue reading →

>Jews, Schmooz, Barbecues

27 Aug

>
Ahh, the start of a fresh school year…

The sun is shining, people are happy…there are new beginnings aplenty!

Fraternities and sororities are bustling and bursting out in rush-songs and secret handshakes. Incoming college freshmen are scurrying around campus trying to find the correct building. The co-ops are still semi-clean. Actually, nevermind. I take that back.

Clubs and organizations parade you with fliers and free food, trying to get you to sign up for this and that.

Berkeley Hillel, a Jewish center for student life, is all about giving free food to hungry college students and encouraging social interaction…

Every Wednesday, a handful of students join together to prepare a massive barbecue at Berkeley Hillel. We make a rockin’ guacamole and salsa, a leafy green salad, a colorful pasta dish, barbecued chicken and hot dogs with accompanying bread buns (we always do a vegetarian option, too!), French fries, and a dessert!


Cooking for a crowd is a whole lot different than cooking for four. We usually barbecue enough for about 300-500 people!

I used to be a sucker for following a recipe step-by-step and taking my time to slowly and thoughtfully put a meal together. Now I have learned how to use a recipe only as a guide and how to cook mostly by feel, leaving lots of room to experiment and get creative in the kitchen!

While I sometimes miss cooking for four, when cooking for a crowd there are many more compliments, which always make me feel good after a long afternoon of chopping, roasting, baking, and sautéing!

When cooking for a large crowd, it is a luxury to be able to get a case of avocados. Avocados are a miracle fruit. They can fit into many different cuisines—Japanese sushi, Mexican guacamole, American sandwich filling…Recently, avocados are used as a thickener and base to hold everything together in baked goods, and also makes for a creamy ice cream flavor! Although I have yet to try this, avocados are also great for make-at-home face masks and beauty regimes. They are great for the skin and have a lot of “healthy” fats and vitamins.

I make guacamole by feel. Sometimes I like to have the chunks of avocado bits and other times I like to mash the avocados for a smoother feel.

Rockin’ Guacamole
Serves 2-4

Ingredients:
2 avocados
¼ red onion, finely minced
lemon or lime juice (about 1-2 Tablespoons)
salt and pepper

optional add-ins:
1-2 tomatoes, diced
jalapeño, finely minced
cilantro
fresh corn
diced mango

1. Slice the avocados in half. Scoop out the pit or lightly bang with a sharp knife and twist it out. See here for a more thorough explanation for how to cut and peel an avocado. **Reserve the pits (see step 7)
2. Score the avocados into a criss cross pattern and scoop out the cubes with a spoon. Alternatively, you do not have to score the flesh and can just scoop it out with a spoon and mash with a fork or potato masher.
3. Finely mince the onion and combine with the avocado.
4. Add in the lemon/lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste.
5. Add in diced tomato, jalapeño, and cilantro to garnish.
6. For a fun twist, add in fresh corn or diced mango!!
7. If you are not eating the guac right away, place the pits in the guac to prevent browning (I do not know if this really works, but I do it anyway!! It looks pretty, too!).
8. Serve with chips, veggie crudités, corn tortillas, or use as a sandwich spread!

One tip I learned while working at Spago Restaurant is how to correctly boil pasta. When you boil the water, throw in enough salt for it to taste like an ocean! Really, a LOT of salt. When you add the pasta to the water, the salt gets incorporated into the dough and then you do not have to add so much extra salt to your sauce.

Do a taste test. Taste some plain pasta that has been cooked in heavily salted water and then try some that was cooked in only water. Wow. The flavor of the salt really pops out and makes such a big difference! Thank you Spago chefs!

Another tip is to reserve some of the pasta water before you drain the pasta to incorporate into a sauce.


Pasta salad with summer vegetables
You can adapt proportions according to how many people are eating!

Dry pasta (I like to an assortment of fun shapes!)

Fresh seasonal produce (I used cherry tomatoes which I left whole, fresh corn, zucchini and yellow crookneck summer squash, red bell peppers, garlic, and onions!)

A few splashes of Balsamic vinegar and good quality extra virgin olive oil

Fresh herbs such as basil or parsley

Optional: cheese (feta, Parmesan, mozzarella…_)

1. Cook the pasta in boiling SALTED water.
2. Drain (reserve some of the pasta water in case you want to add some back).
3. Chop the veggies into shapes of your choice—circular slices, thin strips, small chunks…
4. Sauté the onions first for a few minutes. Then add the rest of the veggies and stir until cooked. Add some salt.
5. Combine the sautéed veggies and pasta.
6. Add a splash of the balsamic vinegar and olive oil and stir. If the mixture seems dry, add some of the reserved pasta water (although most likely the vegetables will add enough moisture).
7. Stir in cheese. Garnish with fresh herbs.


After making the Silver Palate cookbook recipe for homemade barbecue sauce, it is hard to eat the store bought stuff. This is a really fresh tasting sauce that you can add or substitute ingredients according to your own taste buds.

I often make it and then toss it with some chicken to either pop in the oven or throw on the grill! It is always a hit, tastes better than the store bought sauce, and is super easy to prepare!


Homemade Barbecue Sauce!
Adapted from the Silver Palate cookbook
Makes about 3 cups

Ingredients:
2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
Juice from 1 lemon
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons Tabasco sauce (I used a drop of Asian red chili sauce)
2 Tablespoons unsulfured molasses
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
2 Tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons finely minced garlic (I used a few cloves of roasted garlic…mmm!)
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1. Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan.
2. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, to heat through and to blend the flavors, 10-12 minutes. Do not boil.
3. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 2 weeks.

>Bonjour! Now let’s eat crepes!

17 Jul

>
I’m learning to speak French. Well, sort of.

So far, I have mastered how to say, “where is the bathroom?” and “did you sleep well?”

Although my French speaking abilities are quite limited, I am learning a thing or two about French cooking these days. What I am realizing is that most desserts are really simple—just eggs, milk, sugar, and flour. This is the basis for famous clafoutis (just add cherries), Moelleux au Chocolat (just add chocolate), and of course, crepes!

The French rarely use baking powder or baking soda, either. The key is to whip the eggs really well!

When I think of crepes, I imagine a burly man standing on the cobblestone streets with a cart, using his special tool to spread the batter very thinly over the hot pan.

Many different cultures have a variation of the pancake-like crepe—the Italians have crespelle, the Jewish blintz, Dutch babies, African injera, the tortilla, the Indian dosa, and the Mexican sope…

When making the first crepe of the batch, it is bound to get messed up, but have no fear! It still tastes great and the rest of them come out looking beautiful—very delicate, lacy, and lady-like, almost like an edible doily!

So for your next Saturday morning pancake and mimosa breakfast, why not impress your friends and family with some simple and light homemade crepes enjoyed on the porch with the shining morning sun?!

Crepes
Adapted from the Joy of Cooking

Makes about 5-8 large crepes depending on the size of your pan

Wet ingredients:
2 eggs, beaten well
2/3 cup milk
½ cup water
a pinch of salt

Dry Ingredients:
¾ cup flour
2-3 Tablespoons of sugar (optional)

1. Beat eggs. Add the rest of the wet ingredients, including salt.
2. Slowly sift the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients and whisk in a quick motion to be sure there are no lumps.
3. Let the batter rest. It is best to rest the batter for one or more hours in the fridge, but we did not have the patience and rested the batter for a mere 10 minutes! (the crepes still turned out great!)
4. Spray a nonstick skillet or crepe pan with cooking oil spray (we tried some with butter, but found that the butter burned too fast).
5. Place on ladle-full of batter into the pan and swirl quickly to cover the pan, getting the batter as thin as possible.
6. With a spatula, slowly check the under edges for doneness.
7. Flip the crepe over and cook a few more minutes.
8. Transfer to a plate and cook up the rest of the crepes.
9. Sprinkle a topping of your choice over the crepes, fold it up, and eat!

Sweet Topping ideas:
-butter and salt with a pinch of sugar
-jam
-fruit: strawberries, figs, bananas nectarines…
-lemon and powdered sugar
-Nutella spread
-honey

Savory egg and cheese crepes

1. Follow directions for crepe batter but omit the sugar.
2. Cook one crepe on both sides.
3. With the crepe still on the hot pan, add cheese and crack an egg in the middle.
4. Fold it over and let everything get gooey and melted!
5. Repeat with remaining batter.

More savory crepe ideas:
-Cooked spinach, onion, mushroom and cheese
-Add some pesto
-Fresh herbs and cheese
-Chicken with the works
-Artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes
-Scrambled or fried egg with crumbled sausage

>Dinner for One, Please

7 Jul

>After a long day at work or school, it can be hard for many to think about messing around in the kitchen and cooking up a “fancy shmancy” dinner—especially if you are just cooking for yourself.

Often times I just end up toasting some bread, preparing a raw salad, and cooking an egg—poached, scrambled, or sunny side up. Simple, easy, nourishing, and tastes great!

Another no fail meal is chopping up whatever vegetables I have lying around—carrots, eggplant, peppers, green onion, garlic, spinach…and sautéing them in a peanut sauce with some tofu and spaghetti or rice. I top everything off with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and chopped peanuts or cashews.

Peanut Sauce
about 1 tablespoon peanut butter
½ a tablespoon soy sauce
½ tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons milk (I usually use soymilk because it is what I have on hand)
A little hot water, if needed

Whisk it all up and voila—peanut sauce made for one! If you want to get real fancy you can add some red wine vinegar and grated garlic and ginger. Throw the veggie/tofu mixture in the sauce and cook in the skillet until the veggies are tender.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tonight I had some zucchini and tomatoes on hand that were going to go bad if I didn’t do something with them soon! I assembled this zucchini, tomato, and corn bake in about 5 minutes! Boy was this yummy—the veggies were tender but the lightly cheesy breadcrumb mixture was crispy and comforting.


Feel free to use whatever vegetable you want and if Parmesan is not your thing, experiment with Gruyere, mozzarella, or a cheese of your choice. Paired with some cucumber sticks and shredded carrots, and a little leftover pesto sauce, this was the perfect meal built for one!


Tomato, Zucchini, and Corn Bake with Cheesy Breadcrumb Topping

Ingredients

Tomatoes (I used 2), sliced thinly

Zucchini or other summer squash (I used 1-2 small squashes), thin slices

Fresh or frozen corn kernels

A little less that ½ a cup of breadcrumbs

A little less than ¼ cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese (use a microplane to grate)

A pinch of salt

A dash of balsamic vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray or oil a baking dish.
2. Combine breadcrumbs and cheese.
3. Slice tomatoes and zucchini squash.
4. Arrange the tomatoes and zucchini in an alternating pattern on the bottom of a baking dish (I just used two loaf pans). Sprinkle with a small handful of corn.
5. Optional: sprinkle each tomato slice with a tiny pinch of salt and a dash of balsamic vinegar.
6. Sprinkle the breadcrumb and cheese mixture on top of everything.
7. Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes. Cover with foil and bake for 10 more minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
8. EAT!

>Hello impromptu curry!

7 Jul

>

Today at cooking camp, the kids were supposed to learn how to make tofu from scratch, but our tofu man never showed up. We had to come up with something to keep the campers cooking, entertained, and engaged. And we had to come up with this something quick!

Looking through the cupboards, we saw potatoes and left over veggies (bell peppers, celery, bok choy, green onion). We had some coconut milk and garbanzo beans on hand. Hello impromptu curry!!

This was a perfect way to get the campers chopping an assortment of colorful vegetables. Plus, they were able to exercise their creativity as they threw in a little of this and a pinch of that. If it looked good, smelled good, and tasted good, it went into this curry! This required no formal recipe—just an imagination and a hearty appetite.

We cooked up some rice and made a salad to go along with the curry dish. We washed our rice before cooking it and saved some of the milky rice water to add back into the curry!

Impromptu Curry
Ingredients:

Onion, chopped or sliced thinly (whatever you prefer)

Garlic, minced

Roughly chopped vegetable assortment: potatoes (yams and sweet potatoes are great, too!), bell peppers, bok choy, celery, cauliflower, eggplant…

Tomato sauce or diced tomatoes in puree

Garbanzo beans (kidney beans would be good, too)

Spice mixture: tumeric, curry powder, cumin, cloves, cayenne, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves

Coconut milk

Water (you can use the water you used to wash rice)

Lime zest and juice

Cilantro or other fresh herb of choice

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Sautee the onions and spices until the onions start to soften (about 5-8 minutes).
2. Stir and add the peppers and other veggies.
3. Stir and add the potatoes.
4. Add the tomato sauce, beans, and coconut milk.
5. Add water if it gets too thick. Just eyeball it, no need for exact measurements.
6. Let everything simmer for a while until the potatoes are tender (may take about 20 minutes).
7. Taste and add some lime juice, zest, and cilantro.
8. Remove bay leaves and cinnamon sticks.
9. Enjoy over rice or with naan bread!

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